Bitter bunny
by GarGoyl
Summary: Francis Bonnefoy, a literature student and the sole heir of a powerful magic family, has proven to be an utter disappointment until now. All he wants is a normal life and his powers awakened at last, but he needs a protector and to pass a test meant to reveal his greatest strength. Some Pandora Hearts influences, gore, yaoi rating will go up.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

A/N – Hey everyone! First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who showed interest in the posted trailer – it was an experiment and to be honest I didn't think it would go so well! But here it is, I had this idea while watching a video on youtube and told myself I had to do it (if you're familiar with Pandora Hearts you'll probably find that the main character is roughly inspired by B-Rabbit, but mixed with Hetalia I'll say it's a clear 'improvement'). Also, Roddy and Elizaveta are the bad guys (face it people, they've got potential).So here it is ;)

 _ **Warnings**_ : graphic violence and gore; some anime clichés, such as contracted demons and scythe fighting; oh, it will also contain some crack… but that was inevitable.

* * *

Francis drummed his fingers on the wheel impatiently and ill-humoredly, waiting for the lights to change. There were roughly two weeks left until his birthday, the exams were over and he should have been doing something fun, like planning a party or a trip somewhere with his friends from college, something like _normal_ people did. Only he hadn't had the luck of being born into a normal family, not by any standards. He often wondered whether his parents, had they been still alive, would have been more supportive of him and less strict in their expectations than Grandmaman was. So now, instead of doing something fun, he had to fix this somehow… or die trying.

The blond's spirit only dampened further by the time he pulled over in front of a large but rather decrepit brownstone house and he let out a deep sight before stepping out of the car. His cousin Vlad had offered to help with his problem, but while he didn't doubt the boy's good intentions, Francis rather doubted his abilities. The little Romanian wasn't exactly known for being much on an accomplished sorcerer himself.

Some loud noises resounded on the other side of the door the moment he rang the bell, some angry stomps, barks and yells drawing closer. Francis scowled and took a step back, cautious.

"STUPID DOG, GET AWAY FROM ME!"

When the door opened eventually, the Frenchman saw his cousin struggling to push away something white, fluffy and particularly large out of the way, while swatting at it with a rolled newspaper. The creature growled menacingly, while a pair of eyes just as red as Vlad's took the intruder in with a glare. Damn. Francis hadn't bothered too much with studying magic creatures, but even he could recognize a hellhound when he saw one.

"Is that your newly acquired pet protector?" he asked warily, managing to squeeze into the small hallway with some difficulty, while the strawberry blond tried to keep the dog from jumping him and desperately yelling at it to 'just give up already'.

"Yeah, Gilbert. He's a hellhound…"

"I thought you didn't like dogs?"

"I DON'T! But of course, when did my parents ever care about what I want?" the Romanian grumbled."I'm afraid of big dogs, and he stinks too!" he added after Francis was successfully and safely ushered into the living room and the door slammed in the hellhound's nose. It growled and scratched at the wood angrily, but its master ignored it.

"So, _mon cher cousin_ , why am I here? All you said on the phone was that you'd found a way to help me and that I should wear something nice. Well?"

Vlad nodded. "Yeah. I mean you will agree with me that something must be done. In two weeks you'll be twenty-three already and-"

"And my powers have still not awakened, I am utterly unworthy of my ancient magic family, _Grandmaman_ will disown me and she will either kill me or find a way to force me to move back into the mansion with her, which is probably worse," the taller blond pointed morosely. "Anything else?"

"No, I think you've got everything covered. Anyway, um, I didn't find a way to awaken your powers or anything," the strawberry blond shrugged with a grimace," but I think we could at least get you a pet protector as well. Like this you won't be vulnerable anymore and it would probably appease your grandmother to some extent. And who knows, maybe it will help with developing your abilities, too."

Francis threw a worried glance towards the door, where the dog was still scratching and wailing to be let in.

Vlad sighed. "You know, my parents think – and I suppose your grandmother as well – that we don't hang out enough with the heirs of the other families. Like, you know, go to the places they go to and stuff, socialize… I think we should…"

"You know," the Frenchman said, plopping onto the sofa, "I had top grades in all my exams and a literature magazine published two of my essays last month, but she doesn't care about any of that. It's _vraiment_ very sad that all she wants of me is to spend my time with people I don't like."

His cousin shrugged again, with a look of helpless understanding. "Yeah… Anyway, I thought of a way to get you a pet protector – you don't have powers, but you've got money so tonight I'm taking you to a very special party in the 'Underworld' and hopefully you'll be able to buy one. Some are for sale, you know?"

"Will Roderich Edelstein be there?"

"Probably, but it doesn't matt-"

The Romanian was cut off when the door opened suddenly, his little brother Andrei barging in with a duck in his arms. The hellhound also seized the opportunity and pushed past the boy, lunging forward and tackling Francis in one leap.

"Big brother, big brother, my duck farts!" the child complained.

"I DON'T CARE!" Vlad yelled, forcefully tugging at Gilbert's collar to get him off his cousin. Fortunately, the dog wasn't doing any damage, only pressing his wet nose against Francis's cheek and sniffing with purpose. "That's it, let's get the hell out of here!" Pulling the blue-eyed blond from under the hellhound with some difficulty, he murmured a quick spell and ushered him through the full-size mirror placed in one corner. Just as the smaller boy passed through the portal, the dog's teeth grabbed the back of his trousers.

* * *

The Frenchman opened his eyes and stumbled a bit as they literally popped up at their destination, blinking as his eyes slowly adjusted to the semi-obscurity. He looked down with a scowl, smoothing the creased shirt and brushing off the dog hair from it, and wincing as his eardrums were assaulted by noise. It was certainly not the kind of place Francis would have ever frequented for fun, no way. The place looked dirty and dubious, the crowd was overwhelming and the violent music blaring from the sound system was deafening. But it was one of the spots the heirs of the other families spent their time – or so Vlad was saying – and apparently it was expected of him to mingle with them. If not to make friends, at least to know his future enemies.

"This ridiculousness had better be worth it and spare me of _Grandmaman's_ pestering," he grumbled ill-humoredly.

It turned out they were in an underground club, filled to the brim with all sorts of peculiar people – the sort which could only be encountered in 'Underworld', and he saw his cousin held up in the arms of a tall, muscular albino with a wide, annoying and quite sharp-toothed grin. The hellhound in his human form, no doubt (rather attractive too…).

"Idiot, put me down right now! You almost tore my jeans, stupid dog!"

"Ah vell, look who is here," a voice with a thick accent said suddenly, and Francis turned abruptly to discover none other than Roderich Edelstein, the heir of the Edelstein family. "Francis Bonnefoy, and I don't recall ze name off the ozer loser," the brunet spat disdainfully, while his Hungarian fiancée clung to his arm, chuckling. "Haff you come here to see just how low you are on ze 'food chain'?"

"I beg your pardon…?" The Frenchman's gaze narrowed, but he didn't even know how to properly respond to this gratuitous hostility.

Roderich scrunched his nose slightly and adjusted his spectacles with a dignified air. "I hope zat at least you vill be inspired enough to vote for the prolongation of my family's regency, ja?"

"Like hell we'll support you, _Edelschmuck_!" Vlad replied. "You think that stick up your ass recommends you for the job?!"

The brunet waved his hand in dismissal. "Poorly educated too… I tell you vhat, you veaklings. You support me, or _you vill die_. Haff a good evening!"

" _Mon dieu_ , did he just threaten us?" the blue-eyed blond asked when the Austrian walked away together with his fiancée and his group of minions. "Wait, does _Grandmaman_ expect me to befriend and support _him_ by any chance?"

Vlad rolled his eyes. "Forget about him, we're here to get you a pet protector, not listen to aristocrats' shit. Come, it's time for the show!"

The crowd was heading towards a small, narrow passage and Francis was pulled along with the rest, while his cousin proceeded to explain that those who had magic pets to sell would 'advertise' by making them fight publicly, much to the rest of the people's entertainment. Apparently it was one of the favorite distractions of the 'Underworld'.

The passage led to a small-scale stadium of sorts, surrounded by thick stone walls all around and rows of plush seats surrounding a large, deep pit covered with sparkly golden sand. The best seats were placed in a small lodge, currently occupied by the Edelstein family and their companions. Francis looked around with dismay, while people were taking their seats, already discussing the bets they were going to place.

"I can't believe you dragged me to his hellhole," he told his cousin, barely making himself heard over the loud music. "Unlike these people, I don't find massacres _entertaining_!" Long fingers brushed away a rebel strand from his forehead as the young man sighed, falling back in his seat. "I don't think I can do this…"

"And he didn't tell you about the test yet," Gilbert the hellhound piped up brusquely, with the same obnoxious grin which seemed to never leave his face.

"Shut up!" Vlad snapped angrily.

" _Quoi_? What test?!"

"Shut up, stupid dog!" the strawberry blond warned, trying to cover Gilbert's mouth with his hand. The hellhound promptly bit him. "Owwww! What the fuck?!"

"It's not enough to acquire a pet protector, you'll have to pass a test of their choosing and only then they'll serve you, sorcerer," the albino explained. "Vlad got away with it easily because he's cute and harmless and Gilbert likes him, keseseses!" he added, wrapping his arms around the strawberry blond and biting his ear determinedly.

* * *

Several fights went by and Francis was slumping lower and lower in his seat, disgusted beyond words and mostly refusing to watch the unfolding gore scenes. At some point there was a pause and Roderich's enormous three-headed varan lizard – which had been victorious in all confrontations – was taken back to its cage, while the maintenance staff was pouring fresh sand to cover the pools of blood scattered everywhere.

"Why does he insist on throwing his stupid lizard in all the fights?" Vlad asked angrily. "Hasn't he made his fucking point already?! At this rate there will be nothing left to buy!"

"Gilbert can torch stupid lizard if master wants," the hellhound offered.

"No! Shut up! Last thing we need is to stir an even bigger shit than the one we're already in… And hellhounds are illegal, remember?"

"I think something is very wrong with these people…" Francis grumbled. The more he saw of the magic world, the less he wanted to be a part of it. How could his grandmother be proud of being one of these magic folk? And there was no way in hell he would ever own one of the creatures on display so far, they were appalling and… where would he keep such a thing anyway? Could they even take some sort of human form, like his cousin's hellhound, or they were bound to their beastly shapes permanently?

Much too soon, the break ended and the speaker announced that Alice Kirkland, from the House Kirkland, would present her pet for the next fight. One of the gates from the sides of the pit was lifted and a blonde girl of about twelve walked up on the sand, holding something small and grey in her arms. As she emerged, whoever was operating the sound system played a mocking lullaby tune, while nearly everyone laughed.

" _Mon dieu_ , are children allowed at this sort of thing?!" the Frenchman exclaimed, staring at the thin bespectacled blonde with long hair swept in twin pigtails and clad in a simple baby blue dress.

"The Kirkland family is in ruin, they're selling everything they've got," Vlad explained. "Alice is the only heir, and her father doesn't dare show his face in the world after he's gambled away their fortune. So she has no choice," he said while in his lodge Roderich waved his hand and the opposing gate opened as well, letting out the enormous varan.

"This is madness! Someone get her out of there!" Francis cried as the lizard crept forward slowly, the forked tongues of all three heads tasting the air.

But the girl was unfazed, she only smoothed the front of her dress with her free hand and cleared her voice, before lifting up the small animal and showing it to the laughing crowd.

"This is Arthur, my _bitter bunny_ ," she chirped weakly, barely audible with all the surrounding noise.

Francis froze in his seat, momentarily forgetting to breathe – that thing was going to tear the girl and her pet to shreds. He looked over at his cousin, but the strawberry blond had leaned back and was only watching with mild curiosity.

"Relax, Francis. He won't kill Alice, not in front of all these people anyway, for fuck's sake," the strawberry blond reassured him, but somehow he didn't look very convinced of the fact himself.

Alice leaned down and lowered the miniscule rabbit down onto the ground. The small ball of grey fur sniffed and hopped forward, curious and unsuspecting, moving right into the predator's path and the Frenchman thought he was going to be sick. The mocking tune played on, ruining all hope that the loud music would muffle any screams. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears, preparing for the worst.

Suddenly there was something like a low growl, then the audience screamed and the music changed brusquely to some deafening hardcore metal.

"Haha, yes! Fuck, yeah!" Vlad shouted, slamming his palm into the armrest.

Francis's eyes snapped open and the first thing he saw was one of the lizard's heads lying on the ground in a puddle of dark blood, neatly severed from its body. The creature's other heads howled in pain while it trashed around, splattering blood everywhere from the cut neck. Further away, on the other side of the pit stood a blond boy with short unruly hair and bangs falling in his eyes, dressed in faded black jeans, heavy combat boots and an open grey fur vest which left his chest and his slender but still muscular arms bare. A heavy iron chain was wrapped several times around his neck, but the most striking things about his appearance were the gigantic scythe he was holding with both hands, the grey bunny ears at the top of his head and the short fluffy tail bursting from the back of his jeans.

"W-What the hell is _that_?"

"A _bitter rabbit_. He's a chain," Gilbert replied. "Gilbert thinks chains are illegal too, aren't they?" he added in a lower voice, purposefully to his master.

Francis frowned, blinking rapidly and uncomprehending. "What is a 'chain'? Or a 'bitter rabbit'?"

"Creatures of demonic nature which can be summoned by sorcerers and made to serve. Just like hellhounds," the strawberry blond explained. "I don't know how come the Kirklands have such a thing in their possession…"

"Hellhounds are much more powerful," the albino said smugly.

Meanwhile the lizard seemed to recover from the shock and started towards Alice, who was right in front of it. The girl realised the danger and turned to run towards the gate and out of the pit, but at a sign of Roderich's hand the heavy iron grate was brought down, blocking her escape.

"ARTHUR!" the blonde cried, eyes wide with horror while the crowd began to scream even louder.

The rabbit turned, scythe weighed in his hand as blood still dripped from the black steel, then sprang forward, leaping on the varan's back. The blade was forcefully brought down, the sharp tip burying itself in the back of the monster's neck. The lizard reeled, shaking its attacker off, Arthur taking a tumble but landing on his feet in front of the girl, a grin curling his lips. He lunged forward and swung, another head flying off, splashing him and Alice's dress with crimson.

Francis threw a rapid glance towards the Edelsteins' lodge, but to his dismay there was a cold smirk on the brunet's lips as he leaned back in his seat. And then he saw the lizard's heads begin to grow back.

" _Merde_!" the blue-eyed blond cursed. "That fucking thing doesn't die!"

Without warning, the varan's long, thick tail flicked around, sweeping the rabbit off his feet and projecting him straight into the stone wall of the pit. The chain collided with the wall with a sickening sound, then dropped to the ground, the scythe falling away from him. Roderich's lizard turned to face him, abandoning the girl for now, and one of the regenerated heads shot forward, sharp teeth sinking into flesh.

Alice screamed as her pet was grabbed by that hideous mouth and shaken with a will to tear, then thrown again to the ground, unconscious and bloodied. The tail then wrapped itself around the limp rabbit, lifting him up in the air while the audience roared in ecstasy.

"It's killing him! _Mon dieu_ , we have to do something, it's going to go for the girl next!" Francis cried, nearly jumping from his seat, but the hellhound's arm grabbed and held him in place.

"Don't worry just yet. Gilbert thinks bunny has a surprise still... keseseseses. You've never seen chains fight. Dirty, keseseses," the albino chuckled.

Indeed, much to everyone's astonishment, several chains shot out from the rabbit's body, each chain ended with a sharp spike, and plunged into the lizard from all sides, emerging in the opposite directions. It all happened with lightning speed, after which the monster was torn to tiny pieces in the blink of an eye, the remains collapsing on the ground in a horrible mess. Arthur landed in the middle of the lizard bits and stood up straight, soiled but dignified. He licked his right hand a few times, rubbed it over his face in rabbit fashion and then crouched down, grabbing a chunk of meat and munching on it satisfied.

In his seat, Roderich was white as a sheet, motionless.

"Arthur, stop! Come here!" Alice shouted, but the rabbit ignored her blatantly, tail twitching in annoyance as he continued to eat.

"He's not listening to her," the Frenchman observed, puzzled.

"I think we should go have a talk with little Alice. Whatever she's got on her hands, I very much fear she can't handle it," Vlad suggested, patting his cousin's shoulder.

"And _I_ can?" Francis asked gulping.

His cousin didn't answer, instead glancing over at the lodge where Edelstein was still in a trance and Elizaveta was shouting something, with an expression of pure hatred, motioning with her hand towards the pit. One of the gates was lifted again and something large moved in the shadows.

"Ugh… seriously? Bunny can't do that trick again so soon," Gilbert said disappointed. "Just how much shit do these people have? Master should have let Gilbert roast them all. Easier."

Elizaveta's pet was a giant black cobra, its countless scales perfectly shiny as it slithered gracefully across the sand. The rabbit was still eating with his back turned, but his ear twitched at the soft swish and a look of plain irritation made its way on his impish face. Bright green eyes narrowed and he frowned, small nose wiggling as he stood up and turned around, hands on his slender hips.

Suddenly, he raised his hand in front of the snake and moved his arm slowly, from side to side, making the cobra dance in sync with his movements. And then his hand shot forward, finger pointing towards the lodge. The snake turned swiftly, much to the crowd's horror, and countless screams broke out as people were fleeing from their seats, out of the snake's path.

* * *

" _Edelschmuck_ and his girlfriend humiliated in public, oh, this was SO worth coming here!" Vlad observed excitedly, rubbing his hands. "They can't even control their magic pets, what a slap in the face, haha!"

Francis fleetingly considered reminding his cousin that he couldn't control his magic pet either, but momentarily he was too tense and scared to do so. In the confusion that had followed, they'd managed to get down into the pit, grab Alice and (somehow) the rabbit too and had headed for the exit in great hurry. Now all four of them were sitting in a tavern, Alice holding the bunny in her arms and petting him soothingly as Francis filled in a letter of credit.

"Please, take good care of him," the blonde asked. "He likes to snuggle and be handled gently. And he likes to eat. And…um… he can be quite scary at times…"

Hard to believe now, since Arthur was so small that he almost fit in his hand and his black, beadlike eyes were nothing but innocent. The Frenchman had a gut feeling that things were going to go to absolute shit, very, very soon.

 _ **To be continued**_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

A/N – Hello everyone! So, if I didn't do it before, now it's time to point out that this is by far the craziest thing I've ever written (perhaps it's not but this is how I feel right now :)))) Again, thank you all for the support, it means a lot to me! So here's chapter two ;)

 _ **Important disclaimer**_ _: Please be advised that, while I've actually done some research for this chapter in respect of rabbit care, it only goes so far and since I'm not a rabbit owner either, the stuff I've put in here is far from savvy._

* * *

Francis cracked open one eye and shifted under the covers with a groan. His head pounded as if he'd been drinking gallons the night before and the sticky warmth around his body soon let the blond know he'd been sleeping in his previous day's clothes. What the hell?! With great effort and some curses the Frenchman kicked the blanket and sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands. Memories of the night before were hazy as hell, he'd gone with Vlad and his… hellhound to a club of sorts to buy a pet protector, then they'd met Roderich and his lot, a little blonde girl named Alice and… everything else was a horrible blur accompanied by an ominous gut feeling.

And then his gaze fell over a medium sized, topless cardboard box placed in a corner, under the window, a light swishing sound coming from it. With a wary frown Francis stood and walked up to the box cautiously, leaning forward from a safe distance to ascertain its contents.

Inside there was a small grey bunny – the sweetest and cutest grey bunny Francis had ever seen – sitting right in the middle of its makeshift living space. The tiny rabbit looked up at him questioningly for a bit, its small flat nose wiggling slightly, then it rubbed and licked its front paws quickly and diligently began washing its face. It pulled down one fluffy ear to rub it thoroughly, then the other, washed its face some more, and then the small animal stopped, nose twitching more visibly this time… and sneezed.

" _Mon dieu_ , but you are absolutely adorable!"

Wait, he had gone to buy a magic protector which was supposedly going to help develop his own abilities, and had spent a fortune on a _pet bunny_?! Because he did remember signing a letter of credit for a significant amount… The blond looked again at the grey rabbit, it was impossibly cute. And now that he'd bought it, he couldn't very well get rid of it, could he? _Non_ , Francis decided he would be a responsible pet owner.

From his limited knowledge on pet rabbits, Francis only knew that they were messy and high maintenance, but it didn't deter him from picking himself up and, after a quick shower and a change of fresh clothes, driving down to the nearest pet store to get everything he needed. There he was literally piled up with a ton of supplies – food and grooming stuff alike – as well as an equally large amount of instructions the salesman offered in a house-made brochure.

At some point, the Frenchman checked his phone and saw several missed calls from Vlad, _Grandmaman_ and some unknown numbers, but he decided to ignore them, instead busying himself with carrying inside the multitude of supplies. He had bought rabbit pellets – special baby formula , timothy hay, fresh veggies, crocks for food and water, a carrier, a litter box, a cardboard house, rabbit-safe litter, towels and blankets, toys. He got to work to set up a nice space for little Arthur (sometime during the exploits he remembered the rabbit's name too), making its home as comfortable as possible, and he also set plenty of food and fresh water at the bunny's disposal.

He also stashed in order the grooming supplies (apparently grooming was a separate and regular job): soft bristle brush, water spray bottle, slicker brush and combs, pet-friendly wet wipes, rabbit grooming solution, toenail clippers, cotton buds and antiseptic ointment.

It was well past lunch-time when Francis finally stopped to draw his breath and briefly take a look at the instructions from the pet store.

" _Bunnies can be very cuddly and really enjoy spending time with you, but it's usually on their own terms. They need time to observe you and to get used to their new surroundings. Rabbits tend to get bored easily, so giving them something to watch is good._

…

 _When you have thirty minutes or more to spare, just sit near your rabbit, just sitting and watching. As your rabbit gets used to you, it will start coming closer and closer each time to investigate._

…

 _Let the rabbit come to you. Let them sniff you. The most you should do by way of handling rabbits for the first two or three days is to gently stroke their heads. If they hop away, leave them alone._

…

 _Giving your rabbit treats will go a long way too. Your rabbit will soon catch on that you are associated with something nice. Grooming must be accompanied by delicious treats."_

Well, that was all nice when it came to ordinary pet rabbits, but what if the bunny really was some sort of magic creature? Could he change shape, or take human form the way Vlad's hellhound did, or even be able to speak? And what was he supposed to do to find out all that? Suddenly, his musings were interrupted as the cell phone rang.

" _Oui_?"

"Goodness. Where have you been?!" Vlad cried at the other end of the line. "Damn it, I was almost wondering if you were still alive!"

Francis shrugged. "I slept in and then went down to the pet store, _mon ami_. Why wouldn't I be still alive?"

"The… pet store. Right. Listen, cousin, after the shit last night Roderich is looking for Arthur everywhere. They questioned Alice Kirkland, but she told them the rabbit ran away after the fight, since she couldn't control him anyway and stuff. But he's looking, yeah? He's out to kill, okay? This is serious! Did you tell anyone about getting the _bitter rabbit_?"

Francis blinked repeatedly, fingers flying up to rub his forehead as his headache amplified from the noise." _Comment_? What are you talking about? A-and Arthur… he's just a baby bunny! Why would he-"

"He's a baby bunny my ass! He's a fucking _chain_ , haven't you seen him fight?!"

"… I don't…" Damn, everything was a blur. Fight? And what the hell did was Vlad saying about a… chain? He glanced down at the bunny, settled in its new home, but the pet was currently munching on some pellets, ignoring him completely.

"Um… I think the _bitter rabbit_ may have erased your memories," Vlad stated after a while.

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't want to serve you. Maybe he's testing you or something… Anyway, please be careful, yeah? Don't let anyone know about Arthur! It might get really dangerous, okay?"

As the call ended, the Frenchman proceeded to sit cross-legged on the floor, confused as hell. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into? This _merde_ was all Vlad's fault and it had done nothing to solve his actual problem. Without thinking much, he reached out, allowing the small animal to sniff his hand. Soft whiskers tickled his fingers as the grey rabbit did so and even hopped out of the cardboard house, within his owner's reach. It didn't seem scared, so Francis petted its head lightly, then picked it up in his hand very gently, slicking its small ears back with two fingers.

"Alright bunny, do you have something to tell me?"

Apparently not – the bunny only wiggled its nose some more and blinked lazily.

* * *

Later on in the afternoon the aspiring sorcerer drove to his grandmother's manor in an even darker mood than the night before. Not only had he missed several of her calls during the day, but a visit was also long overdue, so he could only expect the worst. He didn't think his newest purchase would do much to help with her temper either - nevertheless he'd put Arthur in the carrier and taken the rabbit with him.

"Oh _, Francois_! When I get my hands on that boy, I swear….!" Lady Bernadette Bonnefoy cried, pulling the blond into a crushing hug, as if she hadn't seen him for half a century at least. "I was so worried! What with all the dreadful news I've been getting since last night, and knowing Vlad had taken you at the games and-"

" _Games_?!" Francis pulled away from the old lady's arms with a scowl. " _Grandmaman_ , what do you think the problem is, exactly?"

She only gave him a surprised look, uncomprehending. "Why, that silly Kirkland brat letting a _chain_ loose to wreak havoc, of course! And young Roddy unable to handle the problem properly… oh dear, maybe he is too young to rule just yet…"

"To 'rule just yet'? You mean to say… how can you support a man who stages _carnage_ for the fun of a bloodthirsty crowd?! And he threatened me, in front of everyone! Does that mean nothing to you?!"

Lady Bernadette straightened her back, with a stern expression. "Magic families need to assert themselves to get respect. That's why the awakening of your powers is crucial," she said coldly. "Now, what _on earth_ do you have in there?"

Francis sighed as he looked down at the carrier in his hand, dreading what was to come. The old lady walked and sat down on the living-room sofa, her posture still stiff and tense as she waited for her grandson to produce the newly acquired pet from its transport cage.

" _Mon dieu_ , it's a rabbit!" she exclaimed, glancing at the small animal with such an expression as if she'd been presented with some disgusting, boil-covered toad. Before the blond could react, a bony hand snatched the bunny from his hand and held it up by the ears.

" _Tu es tellement sot_!" lady Bernadette declared angrily. "This is just an ordinary rabbit! There is nothing magical about this creature whatsoever!" she spat, giving the poor animal a rough shake in demonstration and eliciting a small helpless cry from the bunny, along with some weak kicking attempts. "You might as well leave it here, I'll hand it over to the cook."

"STOP IT, YOU'RE HURTING HIM!Andhow can you say such a thing?! _"_

Francis nearly had tears in his eyes as he took the rabbit back and held it close to his face, petting it gently on the back. He soothingly rubbed the tiny ears and kissed them at the base to ease the pain, then proceeded to place the bunny back into the cage. "That's it, _Grandmaman_!"

* * *

"And then what?" Vlad asked with his mouth full. The boy already had another slice of pizza in his hand, but his ever present dog 'delicately' bit half of it when he wasn't paying attention.

"Then nothing. As you can imagine, I didn't mention anything about Arthur being, as you say, a _bitter rabbit_ and all. By the way, Alice might have switched him with a regular bunny, because she could sense no magic in it. However, I dare say it's a minor detail compared to the disappointment of realizing once and for all how little she cares about me," the Frenchman said bitterly.

The strawberry blond shrugged. "Or maybe your grandmother doesn't have the necessary skills to identify a chain. Most sorcerers are not as powerful as they claim, so perhaps it wasn't so hard for Arthur to fool her. But I think this was a mistake, I mean if he really can't be made to serve, then… sell him to someone else maybe?"

" _Non_ , what would be the point? I'll keep him," the taller boy stated. "Besides, he's an adorable bunny and since I've already gotten all this stuff for rabbits…"

Francis stood and walked into the kitchen to get some more wine, with which occasion, upon opening the fridge, he noticed that a rather large piece of his cold steak was missing. Tsking and scowling, he concluded that the culprit couldn't have been other than his cousin's hellhound. _Dieu_ , Vlad really should have taught that infernal creature to cease eating _everything_! Bottle in hand, he went to his bedroom next, to briefly check on the bunny.

The grey ball of fluff was sitting comfortably in its blanket-stuffed cardboard house meticulously grooming itself again. As its owner entered the room it looked up and let out a funny sound like a soft snort.

"Hey there, _mon petit_! Are you bored? We have guests tonight, would you like to meet them?"

The bunny blinked questioningly, ears twitching a bit, but did not seem adverse to the idea. Francis was rather surprised that after the rough treatment from his cruel grandmother the rabbit hadn't gotten more frightful and opposed to being handled, but the small animal was very calm and accepted his touch with trust.

"Here's _mon petit lapin bebe_! You're so cute, yes you are," the blue-eyed blond cooed, briefly pecking the rabbit's pink twitching nose. "I shouldn't be doing that, though," he added with a small laugh, sitting back down at the table with Arthur in his arms."Bunnies don't like to be kissed, not even picked up much, because they're prey animals and stuff. You won't believe it, but I spent the last two nights reading about how to care for pet rabbits. They are very, very delicate and should even be kept from kicking, because if they kick too strongly they can snap their own spine. They're not to be held up by the ears either."

* * *

Francis had very nearly dozed off – the book he was reading still in his hands – when he was suddenly alerted to a noise coming from the rabbit's cardboard house. He slid off the bed and leaned over to check – the small animal was lying on its side, crying softly in its sleep. It made a sort of pitiful moans, as if it were in pain, ears twitching and paws jerking from time to time.

"Awww… what's wrong, _mon petit amour_?" he whispered, picking up the slumbering rabbit and holding it lovingly. The blond stroked the small body as he stretched back in bed with the bunny against his chest. The pet didn't wake, but the moans seemed to subside with each gentle touch of Francis's hand. And then suddenly the room around him disappeared as the Frenchman was pulled into a bizarre dream of sorts.

 _The night was pitch dark, the thick branches keeping away moonlight from the heart of the woods. The window of the small cottage was lit by one single candle, while inside a blond boy who looked oddly familiar was sitting at the table, feeding a miniscule grey rabbit a piece of lettuce leaf._

" _There, Arthur," said the boy," If you like it, tomorrow I will get you another one, yes?" His large, light green eyes were gazing out the window and throwing wary glances at the locked door from time to time._

 _There was a shadow, darker than darkness itself, creeping slowly towards the cottage like any predator stalking its prey. And it seeped in like a poisoned vapor, through the windowsill and under the door, eventually taking its real form in front of the boy - a form so terrible it would have frozen the heart and guts of any beholder._

 _The blond jumped from his seat, picking up the rabbit and clutching it to his chest as he retreated in a corner, eyes wide with dread._

" _H-have you come here to s-scare me?" he asked, voice shaky and barely able to form words._

" _No," replied the shadow, "I have come to devour you."_

 _A little while later the shadow slipped away from the cottage, leaving behind nothing but a small pile of bloodied rags, torn bits of fur and wet bones. But it was still hungry. There was a village nearby and the shadow traveled there, in search of more helpless beings to devour._

 _But there, in the middle of the empty street, waited a holy man with his stick raised and lips murmuring a silent prayer. And the impure shadow burst into flames and was turned to ashes._

" _Live again and be changed! Live again to serve!" said the holy man._

The vision disappeared and Francis thought he was awake, only he wasn't back in his room yet. He was in a strange place, an endlessly vast room with black-and-white checkered floor dotted with random pieces of broken furniture and lots of stuffed toys scattered around - cats, teddies, foxes and whatnot. And in the middle of all the mess lay the blond boy from before, not as if he were sleeping but rather as if he'd collapsed off his feet or someone had simply dropped him to the ground in a heap, and there were chains wrapped around his thin wrists, ankles and neck. Something was changed about him too – now he had long rabbit ears and a fluffy tail.

"Arthur!" his new master exclaimed, dropping to his knees and cupping the boy's cold cheek.

 _ **To be continued**_

 _Tu es tellement sot! – You are so stupid! (French)_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

A/N – Hello my dear readers! So, this is the last chapter of this… exceptional thing I felt compelled to write, and thank goodness I could manage to stick to the intended deadline (which is my b-day on the 1st of June) Believe it or not, it was sort of stressing me out so I got seriously drunk ;)) Anyway, enjoy!

Warning: some action ahead… :))

* * *

Francis woke up with a start, causing the sleeping bunny to slide off his chest and into his lap. The blond panted, still shaken after the horrid and frighteningly vivid dream, but still sighed in relief that it had been only a dream and that he hadn't accidentally turned and crushed the small pet in his sleep. He buried his face in his hands, not knowing what to think anymore. Bits and pieces of blurred images flashed in the Frenchman's mind – the blond, green-eyed boy with rabbit ears and tail wielding a scythe while the crowd screamed, and then he was a bunny again… Had they all become one, the shadow demon, the boy and his rabbit? The dream seemed to show him that, and Vlad had mentioned chains being of demonic nature. Did that mean his sweet bunny was in fact a demonic creature? One which wouldn't serve him, that much was for sure…

In the meantime the rabbit had woken too and hopped out of his lap, settling in a larger crease in the sheets and blinking sleepily.

"Arthur… what are you trying to tell me?"

The night before his pet had seemed to be suffering. Or maybe he was afraid of something? Francis reached out and stroked the bunny's side with two fingers, causing it to flop and stretch its tiny paws and legs.

"It's okay, _mon petit_. You're safe now, I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. And it's okay if you can't help me, I was probably hopeless to begin with… You just be _mon doux lapin bebe_."

Saying that, he picked up the bunny after petting it some more and placed it in its cardboard house.

* * *

The rest of the day passed uneventfully – Francis decided to busy himself with catching up on some works he intended to have published over the summer and not mention the dream he'd had to anyone. It was for the best, he'd figured, and especially _Grandmaman_ was best kept in the dark about it – otherwise she might have found a way to torment the poor bunny some more with the purpose of making it show its true nature. And it looked like Arthur had suffered enough as it was.

Only he shouldn't have imagined that things would just go so smoothly from then onwards. Even after the dream had showed him the truth about his pet's nature, Francis had still not heeded his cousin's warning about Roderich Edelstein's intentions. Indeed, the man had made a threat, but the vote for regency wasn't due until the following winter. He'd thought he'd had plenty of time to make his option known until then, but then he'd forgotten that the _bitter rabbit_ was being looked for. And he surely hadn't imagined that Roderich would discover so soon where Arthur was.

The Frenchman may not have had magic powers per say (not yet anyway) but he had a rather strong intuition which never failed, so when he first heard the howls and growls outside he knew that the Edelsteins had send their fiends for Arthur, and very possibly for him as well. It was quite late in the evening and the blond glanced out his bedroom window, noticing some large, dark shadows slipping across the lane, barely caught by the streetlights. His stomach cringed with dread – there was something awfully familiar about that sight – and it got worse when he saw them split up, some halting to stand guard at the side of his parked car and the rest creeping slowly but surely towards the house.

And it was only a matter of time before they would break in – Francis had foolishly assumed he could actually live a normal life and in a normal house, one with no thick walls, barred windows and magic wards at every turn. If he stayed in, he was a sure prey. As swiftly as he could, he slid on a jacket, collected his cell phone and the bunny from its house and sneaked as lightly as he could towards the back door.

It was a blind gamble – the shadows could have surrounded the place for all he knew – but surprisingly they were in luck. Francis did get a fairly clear view of them though, they were wolves, enormous black wolves with spiky fur and unusually large snouts. But there wasn't much time for observations – without being able to get to the car he had to consider his options fast.

And the only thing the Frenchman could think of was an old brick water tower further away from his house in a deserted area which had become crowded with small trees and bushes. Water towers usually had a narrow staircase inside which the beasts probably couldn't climb, so he would have probably been safe there. If he actually made it that far.

Slowly, nearly holding his breath, the young man walked away from the house, being careful to make as little noise as possible. He figured the large wolves would have a hard time moving through the thick bush, so as soon as he'd managed to creep into the dense vegetation he sped up, pulling out his phone and typing up a text message to his cousin as he went. He couldn't risk talking and making more noise, only ran as fast as the weeds and low twigs allowed.

" _When they draw close enough, release the rabbit. Even if it doesn't want or can't do anything, there's always a chance the wolves will pursue it and you'll gain some advance. We'll be there as soon as we can!"_

Maybe, but Francis couldn't do that, he would not release the bunny and send it to an almost certain death. No, there had to be another way! If only he could set some dried up bush on fire, that was bound to deter the beasts, at least until they found a way around it. But predictably the few spells his grandmother had forced him to memorize over the course of time had no effect whatsoever – the blond had no sorcerer powers to make them work.

The growls were drawing closer now, the wolves had clearly picked up their scent. Francis needed to stop and catch his breath, but there was still no way in hell he would have done what Vlad had suggested, so he kept running as fast as his legs could carry him, clutching the small bunny to his chest, feeling its miniscule heart beating in sync with his.

Fortunately, the Frenchman remembered the path to the water tower and very soon the tall brick building loomed into sight. The rusty metal door was locked, but kicking it really hard (albeit making a horrid noise) paid off and the damn thing swung open. It was pitch dark inside and Francis patted blindly with one hand, eventually managing to locate the bottom of the narrow metal staircase which led to the small room at the top.

"Okay, okay…" the blond muttered between heavy pants. "We can do this… heh, let's hope this _merde_ will hold us and not crash as we climb…"

Up he went nevertheless, with shaky legs and having to look for each step, one at a time. His free hand gripped the railing for support, mixing sweat with ages-old dirt. The tower door could not be counted on to pose any resistance for the pursuing beasts, and by the sound of it they were almost at the entrance. He hoped Vlad and his hellhound were on their way, as much as he hated the thought of involving his cousin into his trouble.

Thankfully, he reached the top room relatively fast and that door was open, so Francis climbed in and shut it tightly, using a metal bar which was lying on the floor to block the knob. But just as he was reaching into his pocket to check his phone, the bunny kicked and jumped off the crook of his arm.

"So… you really can't do any spells," a voice said and the Frenchman turned abruptly to where the bunny had hopped off, discovering his pet in what he assumed was the chain's real form. The boy's outfit was the same as it had been back at the 'games', but seen from up close was far more impressive and wicked-looking. As if the black steel scythe wasn't scary enough.

He shrugged helplessly in reply, shaking his head. "No, I really can't. I am a failed sorcerer. Heh, I can't even make a nightlight…"

Only some pale moonlight rays entered through one of the small windows, but he could see Arthur grin. He was a very handsome boy, with small, upward tipped nose which gave him a childish air, even if the look of his light green eyes had something feral and disturbing.

"More fun in the dark," he said, in the same soft and slightly creepy voice from before. "Arthur will take care of this for you, master."

Francis blinked. Had the rabbit just called him 'master'? Did that mean…?

"But… wait! Am I not supposed to pass some test or something? In order to prove worthy for you to serve me?" he asked doubtfully, just as the smaller blond was moving to unlock the door.

"You have passed the test," the chain replied, throwing the metal bar aside as if it were a toothpick. "You have a gift I have not seen in any other sorcerer. A good, loving heart."

 _Grandmaman_ would have probably laughed in the rabbit's nose for that. "Uh… maybe, but how's that a _magic gift_? How does that count for anything?"

"You took care of Arthur, kept him safe."

So the bunny had been quite observant. Anyway, by a screwed up logic, if Francis had something no other sorcerer had, perhaps this was the reason why he _couldn't be_ a sorcerer."Well, I… I mean it was the least I could do, considering… considering what happened to you and all."

The other turned and gave him a strange look. "Happened to Arthur?"

"Well, to the boy and his rabbit, I mean. What was the boy's name?"

"Arthur doesn't remember. It was long ago." The rabbit furrowed his brow, thoughtful, and his ear twitched. "Anyway, the boy was helpless, he couldn't do anything, couldn't fight. Helpless is bad," he said, weighing the scythe's handle suggestively. "Better kill and eat a predator when you see one."

Francis only nodded, slightly dumbstruck and for lack of a proper reply.

"And now Arthur is hungry," the chain stated. "By the way, Arthur ate steak. Bunny food is good but wasn't enough."

"Ah…"

* * *

Francis blinked, drawing a shaky breath as he stared at the black hole of the open door Arthur had disappeared through. Growls and yelps resounded from below, along with some other sickening sounds he didn't even try to identify. His stupor didn't last long though, because soon enough a sort of explosion followed by a gush of flames blew off the remainders of the glass still clinging to the tower's broken windows.

The blond threw himself down to the ground, arms shielding his face, while a suffocating smoke and a dreadful stench of burned flesh and hair invaded the small space. Outside, someone was yelling and choking.

"Stupid rabbit, leave some more for Gilbert to torch!"

Hurried, stumbled steps were heard on the stairs, accompanied by a load of foul curses, then Vlad burst through the door, looking a bit roughed up himself. "Francis!" he cried, reaching down to collect his cousin from the ground. "God, are you alright?!"

" _Oui_ … wha-… what happened?" The blue-eyed blond stood up slowly and felt his forehead with his fingers – and found a stinging cut from the falling shards.

"It happened that they sent a fucking _army_ after you, that's what! Those fucking creatures were all over the place and nearly got a piece of me! Just my thing, to be grabbed by _more_ fucking dogs! Come on, let's get you out of here."

"Wait, the bunny! Arthur?! I have to find Arthur!"

At the bottom of the stairs there was a substantial pile of horrid smelling carcasses, chunks of putrid flesh and skin peeling off the whitened bones. Francis's stomach turned in disgust and, supported by his cousin's arm, he stumbled towards the exit as quickly as he could, in dire need of fresh air. Only outside it was worse, there were much more wolf carcasses lying around, charred to the bone and still smoking. Filthy soot was blown by the wind in all directions and clung to his and Vlad's clothing, absolutely disgusting.

He also discovered the giant white hellhound standing guard, again in human form, and further away perched on the handle of the scythe which was now mysteriously floating in the air, was the bitter rabbit. And they were both sulking.

"The wolves aren't good to eat, already half rotten," the chain stated with obvious displeasure.

"Arthur! You're okay!" his master cried in relief. "It's okay, everything will be okay! And don't worry, I'll make you a nice, juicy steak when we get back home!" he promised.

The Romanian rolled his eyes. "Right… everything will be okay… It's not like we started a fucking war with the leading family." He walked up to the hellhound and swatted him over the head. "Stupid dog, this is all your fault!"

* * *

Francis took his time with a long shower, letting the hot water run down his aching muscles as he leaned against the tiles. He felt horribly drained after the whole ordeal, both physically and mentally. Obviously, he felt safer now that his pet protector had 'officially' shown his nature, but this also meant that the episode with the wolves was only the beginning of trouble. Perhaps for now was better to just get some rest and not think about it yet.

When he stepped into the bedroom, donning only a baggy pair of pajama bottoms, he found the bunny lying on the bed on his belly and propped up on his elbows, legs bent playfully so that the heels nearly touched the short fluffy tail. He was naked, and Francis could only stare in awe at the alluring expanse of pale skin.

"What worries you?" the green-eyed boy asked, tilting his head to the side, curious, even if a cheeky smile still lingered on his lips.

"Other than that all hell will probably break loose now and that I'm still a good for nothing sorcerer, nothing in particular," the taller blond replied, flinging himself on the mattress as casually as he could under the circumstances. Because this wasn't awkward at all, hell no.

The chain sighed, moving closer and nuzzling his nose into Francis's shoulder, and his master couldn't help stroking his cheek and hair affectionately. After all, Arthur was his sweet bunny.

"Arthur will help awaken your powers," the boy said eventually. "But you must grant one request."

" _Oui_?"

The rabbit's nose twitched and he chuckled softly. "Arthur would like to mate."

Oh, _merde…_ "Uh, I'll… I'll get you a mate then," the Frenchman said half-heartedly. And have his house overflowing with rabbits soon enough, he thought with some dismay.

"No, not _a_ mate. Arthur would like to mate with you," the chain said with a devious smirk, dragging his fingers teasingly over his master's bare chest. Francis noticed that he had sharp nails.

"Well, I don't know if-"

"But you kissed Arthur's nose. And his ears, and his back," the smaller blond pointed.

"Because you were a bunny! And kissing one's pets affectionately is not uncommon, you want them to feel loved and stuff…"

"So you like bunny body more?"

Francis smiled. "No, Arthur. This body is…. _perfect_ ," he replied, running his hand down the boy's spine. He was beautiful, that much could not be denied. And he found himself wondering if in the magic world pet-master relationships were considered acceptable or not. Maybe, who knew… He leaned in and kissed the chain's soft lips, to which the smaller blond responded eagerly. And then his body moved with a will of its own on top of the boy after rolling him on his back, hands exploring the rabbit's shoulders and chest.

The Frenchman delivered a swift, playful bite to one of Arthur's fluffy ears and then scooted down, inhaling the other's addictive scent. As his own clothing became an unbearable hindrance, he clawed at the pajama bottoms, discarding them carelessly in the same time as his mouth left a trail of kisses down the boy's body. A smirk made its way on the blue-eyed blond's lips as he saw his sweet bunny panting in pleasure with his eyes closed, and he gently pushed his knees apart, revealing his already erect cock. He gave it a slow, teasing lick before grazing his teeth carefully over the tip and taking it into his mouth entirely.

Francis gasped, feeling something like a strange strength pouring into his own body with each of Arthur's moans of pleasure. He pulled away, sitting up and pulling the rabbit's hips into his lap. With the sudden intuition that his bunny probably liked it rough, he pushed himself in balls deep with one powerful thrust. The boy moaned loudly, but did not seem to be hurt, so the Frenchman began thrusting slowly, rhythmically, in the same planting butterfly kisses all over Arthur's flushed cheeks and massaging the fluffy tail with one hand.

They were at it for a while, the rabbit's body wrapped tightly around Francis until he could only lay there, panting, utterly spent, but it had been by far the most satisfying sex he'd ever had. Afterwards, he settled into the soft sheets, holding the boy lovingly in his arms as they both drifted off into much needed sleep.

"Arthur swears to master….the lord of shadows will die" was the last thing the sorcerer heard before he slipped into the realm of dreams.

 **THE END**

 _Mon doux lapin bebe – my sweet baby bunny_


End file.
